Morocco and Syria have taken a significant step toward restoring diplomatic relations following a high-level visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani to Rabat.
The visit marks the first time a senior Syrian official has traveled to Morocco since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, signaling a shift in relations between the two countries after nearly a decade of diplomatic disengagement.
During talks with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, both sides described the engagement as the beginning of a renewed chapter in bilateral relations.
Bourita said the meeting represents “a new phase” in ties between Morocco and Syria, noting that cooperation had been frozen for almost ten years.
Al-Chaibani, in turn, said the visit reflects Syria’s commitment to rebuilding international partnerships. He also announced the reopening of the Syrian Embassy in Morocco and expressed readiness to welcome Morocco’s diplomatic mission back in Damascus.
Both countries also agreed to establish a joint consular commission to address the needs of Moroccan citizens in Syria and Syrian nationals residing in Morocco.
In a related development, Morocco had already moved in May 2025 to reopen its embassy in Damascus, with operations resuming in July after a 13-year closure. Relations between the two countries were originally severed in 2012 amid the outbreak of Syria’s civil conflict.
Officials from both sides say the latest developments could pave the way for broader political and economic cooperation in the coming years.
